


213: The Prince and the Dragonlord

by harlequin (julie)



Series: Season 2 [13]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-20
Updated: 2009-12-20
Packaged: 2017-11-06 11:05:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/418175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julie/pseuds/harlequin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin is dealing with grief and power, and Arthur is dealing with love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	213: The Prince and the Dragonlord

♦

‘You were extraordinarily brave this evening, Merlin.’

‘Thank you, sire.’

Arthur turned away from the window, and leant his shoulders back against the stone wall. ‘Stop fussing with that armour, would you? And come here.’

‘If you’d just let me finish –’

‘I realise that you have a deeply unnatural attachment to my chainmail, but I was hoping, Merlin, that you might feel fonder still of me.’

‘I don’t know where you’d get a strange idea like that, my lord.’

Arthur was silent for a long moment. But then he said, ‘Something’s still troubling you, isn’t it? In fact, it’s gotten even –’ The prince broke off, and then came over and sat at the table, across from where Merlin was cleaning Arthur’s helmet. ‘Merlin,’ he said in his best _I can empathise but let’s have no nonsense_ tone, ‘no doubt you witnessed the nature of Guinevere’s welcome when we returned to the castle this evening.’

‘Yes, sire. But that’s not what’s –’

Arthur smoothly interrupted him. ‘You once said to me that love is stronger than anything. It seems that Guinevere has come to believe that, too.’

Merlin’s heart was already wrung out. Too much newfound love and too much raw grief and too much acquired strength, and he could not _bear_ to be broken with as well. ‘Not tonight, sire,’ he asked quietly. ‘ _Please_ can this be said tomorrow instead.’

‘Which is not to say that there are not still two or three insurmountable obstacles in our path. But in many ways she seems an ideal choice for me.’

‘ _Please, sire…_ ’

But Arthur forged ahead, as if he knew no other way, so Merlin tried to ignore him. ‘Not least because she not only loves me but also another. And it is the same for me.’

Merlin kept polishing away with his head down, mind sunk in thoughts of dragons and dragonlords, fathers and mothers and sons, knights and friends, those fallen and those still alive. Not wanting to think about his love, who was about to tell him he could be his lover no more. But eventually he became aware that Arthur was waiting with surprising patience for his response. ‘I’m sorry, sire. My thoughts were elsewhere.’

‘Don’t you see, Merlin? She will understand.’

‘You’re talking about Gwen? Sorry, she’ll understand what?’

Arthur rolled his eyes in exasperation, but then looked at Merlin very directly. ‘That I love you, you idiot.’

‘I, uh – What?’

‘There,’ said Arthur as if pleased to have accomplished something important. ‘It needed saying, and I’ve said it. Will you stop moping now?’

Merlin just sat there staring at the prince.

‘Don’t think you’re flattering me by looking flabbergasted. I realise this isn’t exactly news to you. I am aware that I have… betrayed myself on numerous occasions.’

‘Are you saying that… you want to continue with me, whether or not you’re with Gwen?’

Arthur was apparently so surprised that he almost shouted a laugh. ‘I have no idea why I feared you might turn romantic on me.’

‘And you think she’ll be all right with that?’

‘She’d have a lot less to complain about than most women, and I know very well that nothing has changed. She still loves that blasted Lancelot as well. And,’ Arthur said, turning accusatory – standing up and jabbing a finger in Merlin’s direction – ‘don’t try to pretend that _you’re_ not remarkably fond of him, too, for that matter. It goes a long way beyond friendship with you. There’s some secret the two of you share, some kind of understanding – and I should think the less I know of it, the better.’

Merlin took a moment with that, and then argued in reasonable tones, ‘So, you _do_ feel jealous, Arthur. D’you see where this gets you? All this talk about loving two people at once, and not minding about Gwen and Lancelot. You’re not so comfortable with it after all.’

Arthur glared at him. ‘But you’ve said you don’t mind about sharing me!’

‘But I’m not a prince, am I? You feel a sense of… entitlement that I never could.’

‘I do _not_ feel entitled. Not about _people_.’ Arthur bit off each word, massively disgruntled at such an accusation. ‘For god’s sake! _I do not own you, Merlin._ Would you rather I confined myself to –’

Merlin cut across him. ‘I love you, Arthur. I really do love you. So the thing I want most in the world is for you to be happy. If that means breaking with me, than that’s what you should do. It’s not like I haven’t expected it all along.’

‘But _I love you_ , you moron. Don’t you understand that? I was certain that you’d found me out months ago! And you’ve proved yourself. Another man in your position would have used the situation to his advantage, but in all this time we’ve been together you’ve never once asked anything of me – or only to… You’ve only ever asked me to be a better man – a worthier knight – a finer prince. Nothing that I haven’t already required of myself. And then tonight – tonight, I’ve never been prouder. _You stood at my side and faced a dragon._ Merlin, damn it, you are _not_ the sort of lover that any man would break with. Such a lover is rare enough in this world, and rarer still for a prince to find. D’you really think I’m so blinded by arrogance that I couldn’t work that out for myself?’

And once this tirade was done, Merlin stood, and in two strides he was standing before Arthur – he grasped the prince’s shoulder in one hand, slid the other round the nape of his neck – and kissed him. A passionate kiss, full of love and heartbreak and gratitude and promise. Arthur moaned into it, his mouth parting – Merlin pushed his tongue inside and claimed the man, even as Arthur pressed his body closer and Arthur’s hands slid around Merlin’s waist, his arms winding around to bind them together. Another moan, bereft and small and needy, as Merlin finally broke the kiss and lifted his head.

‘Please,’ said the prince.

‘Come to bed,’ said the dragonlord.

♦

He moved over Arthur, he moved deep within him – and Arthur was accustomed enough to this act now, this was the third time that Merlin had possessed him – Arthur was accustomed enough now to feel almost nothing but pleasure. He arched beneath Merlin’s slow relentless possession, his face pale and damp and fraught. ‘Please, Merlin… _Please…_ ’

Merlin reached down between them to shape his hand to Arthur’s cock, to begin a slow deliberate stroke. Arthur was so tight around him, all strength and heat and need, his thighs and his hands and his groans all demanding that Merlin finish this, _finish this now…_ It took all of Merlin’s will to withstand him.

‘Merlin, _god…_ ’

But he wasn’t done yet. He wasn’t done. ‘Arthur, I –’

‘I love you. Damn it, Merlin, do you hear me?’

‘I hear you,’ he calmly replied. ‘That’s the third time you’ve said those words tonight, Arthur. D’you want to bind yourself to me?’

A scoffing breath, and Arthur’s hot blue gaze suddenly fixed upon Merlin’s. ‘Is it like a charm?’

‘Stronger than that. Stronger than anything.’

The prince considered him very levelly, while their bodies continued their rhythmic communion. ‘Then I am already bound.’

‘I love you,’ said Merlin steadily, possessing Arthur with eyes and cock and hands and words. ‘I love you,’ he said, in measured tones. ‘I love you – and everything I am is yours.’

‘ _Merlin…_ ’

‘Come for me, and seal the matter.’

‘Yes, I –’

Merlin tightened his grip and thrust all the way home – and Arthur came with a shout – and he took Merlin with him, he already knew _just_ how to shift down upon Merlin _just_ how to haul him closer with his thighs about Merlin’s waist _just_ how to clutch at the very core of him – and Merlin lost himself in the molten heat for a long while – collapsing down onto his love, mouthing promises, babbling kisses, and they held other close, so very close, still shifting together caressing with voices whispering with hands – until at last they were done, and still they lay there deep in each other’s arms as if they would never and could never part.

‘Bound,’ Arthur eventually said, before the night finally came to claim them.

‘Serve you,’ Merlin said, his voice slurring with tiredness, ‘till my dying day.’

‘I know,’ in softly reassuring tones. ‘I know. Sleep now.’

‘Love, sire… Sleep, yes… Arthur…’ And they were done.

♦


End file.
